"Did the young wench downstairs give you the heave ho", she said, with asperity.

Peter shrugged his shoulders to show he was unconcerned.

"Just getting to know a little of the local fauna - they're certainly friendly around here."

"What's that?" He looked incredulously at the heap of sacking and sticks.

Sarah decided a whole heap of summarisation was appropriate. "It's a Hobby Horse and with it goes a long story about creativity and spirituality that you probably wouldn't even want to understand."

"Load of hooey all this tradition stuff", said Peter predictably. "It's mainly just an excuse for a party. Most of these people here are throw back from the days of flower power and free love. In this day and age they're just anachronisms – although there might be something in the free love of course."

He walked over to examine the frail structure of sticks, brightly coloured rags and sacking and poked the heap disdainfully.

"What these people need to understand that the only thing that really matters nowadays is winning. You work the deal out in your favour, calculate the odds and then execute your plan. Everything is up for sale. There are no limits any more."

He paused and looked her right in the eyes.

"Gaining the upper hand, winning power, usually over other people, and then rubbing their face in it. That's what it's all about", he said. Was that contempt she detected? Sarah again got the feeling that he knew more than he was saying and felt icy fingers run up and down her spine.

She got off the couch and walked to look out of the window. Her heels clicked and echoed on the wooden floor. The river here was wider and stretched off into the distance. The setting sun was turning the sky a delicate pink and, high above, cloud spirals formed massive shapes.

"Is that what I am to you - just a conquest", she said quietly and bitterly.

"To be honest, I'm not sure what you are to me", said Peter.

"Perhaps if you stopped being the mystery woman, then maybe we could cross the chasm that remains between us. We could make this into something more than just a weekend to give a brief respite from our families and exorcise a bit of lust. Although lots more of that would be very nice, of course."

There was a wicked twinkle in his eye as he said that.

"I really can't work out whether you're the sort of man I really want to know or not", said Sarah ignoring his question and knowing her voice was shriller than she would like. She had turned her back to the window, aware the evening sun was streaming through her thin dress but not wanting it to.

"Perhaps a fellow needs to have a bit of mystery too", said Peter. "Besides, you complain when I talk about having power over others but as an attractive woman you know full well the power that gives you over men and you don't hesitate to use it if it will serve your own end - no pun intended." Again the wicked smile.

"He definitely knows something I don't", thought Sarah. She walked across the floor to Peter, letting her body sway sexily.

"But there is always a limit to the power a woman has over a man." She pouted prettily. "You wouldn't for example give up everything you have for me would you?" Her arms were now around his neck and her face was gazing dreamily up at his, green eyes flashing.

She had just perceived a line of thought that would relinquish Peter's hold on his job just as effectively as the viruses. She hadn't worked out the detail but if there was a possibility that it might save the family house, it was worth a try.